Since the launch of the 2019 supplementary budget R&D program for small and medium-sized businesses, Korea has achieved sales of KRW 215.1 billion, investment of KRW 382.6 billion, employment of 385 people, and 271 patent applications in just 18 months, demonstrating its rapid growth into a global advanced industrial base for small and medium-sized businesses.

On the 28th, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo visited Micoceramics, the first company in Korea to develop a high-temperature heater for semiconductor CVD equipment, which had previously been entirely dependent on imports from Japan, through the government's materials, parts and equipment R&D project, and held a meeting with representatives of major domestic materials, parts and equipment demand and supply companies.

This meeting was organized to review interim results, approximately one and a half years after the launch of the 2019 Small Business and Finance R&D Project, and to hear industry opinions on future policy directions for small business and finance.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's supplementary budget project, which includes three major R&D projects: material and component technology development, manufacturing equipment verification support, and semiconductor and display performance evaluation support, recorded sales of KRW 215.1 billion, investment of KRW 382.6 billion, employment of 385 people, and 271 patent applications.

In relation to the development of materials and components technology, we supported the development of 41 projects for 25 items, including core materials for semiconductors, displays, and secondary batteries, which require early technology acquisition. />
In the manufacturing equipment verification support, we secured track records and improved reliability through verification by demand companies for 30 pieces of equipment in 5 industries that had already been developed but had difficulty selling due to lack of verification.

Regarding performance evaluation support for semiconductors and displays, we supported evaluation, performance verification, and improvement at production lines of demand companies for 130 previously developed items in the semiconductor and display sectors, which include three major export-regulated items.

Minister Sung Yun-mo said, “In response to Japan’s export restrictions, we launched R&D on small, medium, and large equipment in September 2019, and our companies have achieved unprecedented and remarkable results, including KRW 215.1 billion in sales and KRW 382.6 billion in investments in just 18 months.” He added, “Results are becoming visible even before the 2019 supplementary budget R&D project is concluded, and we expect these results to expand further as the 2019 supplementary budget R&D and R&D projects initiated after 2020 progress.”

He also said, “This achievement was made possible through the combined efforts of the people, businesses, and the government, and thanks to the technological development and commercialization efforts of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as active solidarity and cooperation between companies,” adding, “Its significance is especially great because the target items are materials, parts, and equipment that were considered an ‘impossible wall’ during Japan’s export restrictions.”